For our customer, a multinational agri-business production and trading group headquartered in the Basel area, we are seeking the General Counsel.

Reporting to the Group CEO, you will take the group-wide lead on Legal & Compliance matters across all areas of the group’s global business operations, including commercial contracts, corporate/M&A legal and litigation matters, whilst overseeing compliance across the group. Key to your success will be your ability to provide pragmatic and commercially relevant advice, guidance and solutions at all levels of the organisation. Additionally, you will play a key leadership role across the group, actively bringing to life the group’s vision, values and strategy, and driving the ongoing growth and transformation agenda. The draft job description includes the following:

Responsibilities:

• Provide Legal & Compliance support to the Holding Board of Directors (BoD) and the Executive Management, to HQ as well as its 3 business divisions and legal entities group-wide
• Advise on key global legal issues in the areas of commercial contracts, litigation and corporate, with pragmatic consideration for the commercial nature of the business, company risk appetite, culture and resources
• Work closely with the relevant colleagues to develop and implement risk processes and procedures for legal & commercial aspects
• Provide legal support on projects, contracts, claims management aspects for major projects
• Develop and implement commercial contract templates (sales, supply chain etc.)
• Manage major litigation and arbitration proceedings, strategic approach to the underlying dispute
• Develop and implement templates for parent company guarantees and lead the approval process for such parent company guarantees
• Provide legal support to finance function on financing arrangements
• Provide legal support to Mergers & Acquisitions projects
• Provide support or manage corporate law aspects for group companies
• Select, instruct, manage and supervise external legal service providers group-wide
• Develop, guide and train business leaders and relevant personnel group-wide on all relevant Legal & Compliance matters (for example, but not limited to, competition law, data protection law)
• Oversee and ensure that entity boards within the Group operate in compliance with the relevant jurisdiction and Group principles

Requirements:

• Law degree (Swiss strongly preferred) and profound knowledge of Commercial and Corporate Law (preferably Swiss); bar exam, LL.M. or MBA would be a plus. If not Swiss qualified, extensive Swiss legal experience required
• At least 10 years Legal & Compliance experience gained in a highly commercial, international physicals commodity trading and/or agri-business group (part of which may have been gained at a renowned law firm advising multinational industry clients); experience as Company Secretary at a Swiss multinational group would be a plus
• Fluency in English (at least level C1 “Verhandlungssicher”); additional languages like German or French would be a plus
• Ability to analyse business requirements from a Legal & Compliance perspective and transform into commercial, pragmatic actions and guidelines
• Highly efficient, organized and ability to multi-task; used to managing various complex projects simultaneously
• Experience in planning and executing financing and M&A transactions
• Experience in corporate law, incl. establishment of legal entities, and competition law
• Experience in industrial-related Legal & Compliance trainings for management and staff
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, dynamic and challenging trading environments; experience in the transformation/evolution of dynamically growing businesses
• Proven track record in leadership and management skills; experience in the assessment and development of Legal & Compliance staff
• High personal integrity and strong ethical values, with a distinctly entrepreneurial approach; used to work with utmost confidentiality
• Venturesome, commercially oriented and stimulated by new challenges and situations, whilst remaining committed to avoid any reputation risks from a Legal & Compliance perspective
• Able to communicate and present in a clear and concise manner (orally and in writing), influencing others positively
• Down-to-earth character, solution-driven, goal-oriented and assertive with a diplomatic flair
• Proactive, strategic thinker with a hands-on approach and a positive “can do” attitude
• Interest and ability to build and manage effective relationships (internally & externally)
• Capable of independently and constructively challenging and sparring with business leaders at all levels, upto and including Group CEO, Chairman & members of the Group’s Holding Board and shareholders
• Confident and capable of using their initiative and taking responsibility for the decisions they make
• Interest and ability to work collaboratively in an international setting with multi-disciplinary and cross-functional teams; strong awareness of cultural differences
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to create a common spirit within the senior leadership team, Legal & Compliance teams in HQ as well as group-wide
• Ability to be permanently based in/near Basel or Lausanne, with regular travel between these two offices and some international travel required (10%)

Place of work: Basel or Lausanne area